The present invention is directed toward a locking mechanism and, more particularly, toward a lock for a trailer hitch which is intended to prevent the theft of trailers or similar vehicles.
Many trailer hitches used in trailers for carrying construction equipment and the like and recreational types of trailers such as boat trailers, campers and the like employ standard hitch mechanisms in the form of a socket or the like comprised of a hitch pintle or welded bar which is adapted to engage a standard jaw hitch or eye assembly carried by a towing vehicle. While standard hitching mechanisms such as these have many advantages such as the interchangeability of trailer hitches thereby allowing different vehicles to tow different types of trailers, this also creates several disadvantages. Most particularly, standardizing these hitch mechanisms allows any person having a standard pintle hitch on his vehicle to easily steal an unattended and unattached trailer by simply attaching the trailer to his vehicle and towing the same away. A number of prior art devices have been proposed in the past for protecting trailer hitches in order to prevent the theft thereof. These are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,226,133; 3,233,913; 3,434,741; 3,605,457 and 3,884,055. These patents, however, are directed primarily toward trailer hitches of the ball type and provide relatively complex mechanisms for protecting the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,759 describes a security device for a trailer hitch which appears to provide significant protection but, again, is useful only with a ball-type hitch and only with those of particular construction having an outwardly extending flange. This patent does, however, utilize a standard padlock which is well protected by the device so as to prevent unauthorized access thereto.
The only patent of which Applicant is aware that is directed toward a device for preventing the theft of trailers and which can be utilized with a pintle type of hitch is U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,823. This patent shows several embodiments, one of which is specifically directed toward a pintle hitch. While the device shown in this patent may be somewhat useful, the padlock utilized with the anti-theft mechanism is exposed and can be easily tampered with by a prospective thief. It is, therefore, not believed that this prior device would be effective in preventing the theft of a trailer to which it is attached as the locking mechanism can be easily removed utilizing a cutter or saw or the like.
The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a trailer hitch lock that is particularly useful with a pintle-type trailer hitch.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a trailer hitch lock that is useful with a pintle-type trailer hitch and which effectively locks the same to prevent the unauthorized use or theft of the trailer.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a trailer hitch lock for a pintle-type trailer hitch which can be easily locked into place but which cannot be removed by anyone other than the owner thereof.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiment demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a trailer hitch lock for use with a pintle-type trailer hitch. The trailer hitch lock includes a pair of steel plates which are hinged at one end. An upstanding steel projection is located substantially at the center of the interior of one of the plates. When the plates are pivoted toward their closed position, the pin fits within the opening of the trailer hitch pintle. The forward end of each of the plates includes a piece of flat steel extending toward the other plate. Each piece of steel has a hole passing therethrough which cooperates with the other when the plates are in their closed positions so that a padlock or the like can be passed therethrough to maintain the device in its closed position. Located to either side of these cooperating smaller steel plates are a further pair of steel plates which protect the padlock by preventing a cutting tool or the like from reaching the same.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings.